- Jessica Rider
Proper RV Camping Etiquette
What is the proper etiquette for camping?
We have all been there, right? There is always that one guy or that one family that you just want to strangle. We have been on many trips where that family is right next to us. We cringe as they pull in on Friday night and just pray it will be a good weekend.
Or you get that group of young 20 somethings who wake up hungover and pee outside their camper, in front of everyone. Yep that has happened to us as well.
Campground Etiquette 101
First and foremost I have a feeling there are going to be a ton of brand new campers in parks this year. People, post COVID, are more interested in taking a cross country trip in an RV rather than flying somewhere. So please be patient with people. You may have to wait for someone new to get their camper backed in correctly or wait at the dump station longer, either way just have patience with people. Show them what the camping community truly is, which is great people enjoying nature.
Watch your RV speed in the campground
The campground is not the Indy 500. You are supposed to be relaxing anyway so just slow down a bit. You never know when a stray kid or stray dog could come running out. Keep it slow and watch out for your surroundings.
Be Considerate
With that though parents whether of children or pets need to keep things in check. Don’t let your kids run amok and always keep your pet on a leash. Nothing is worse than a kid or dog that tramples through your campsite. Remind your kids to be respectful of others and of their belongings. This also means that you should pick up after your pet.
We love to camp with family and friends but one thing I have had to learn is my voice is very loud, especially if I have had a few super coffees. Remember that your voice carries and in some campgrounds that are more wide open your voice will absolutely carry. So party, have fun, enjoy yourself but be considerate of people around you.
That goes for generators and music as well. Most RV’s these days come with outdoor speakers and some even come with generators. These things can be very noisy so perhaps shut them down at a certain time or be respectful of what you are listening to.
Who doesn’t love to light up their camper with the latest and greatest outdoor lighting. We do and at times we have gone all out. But make sure your outdoor lights are not shining right into your neighbor’s window. Turn your big lights off at night, including the porch light. Some RVs have underglow lighting now, ours does, and this is a great light to keep on. It is blue LED lighting but isn’t too invasive to our neighbors.
Some other things to keep in mind
When you head out to the campground this year:
Don’t doddle at the dump station. While some people may take longer than others, just be respectful and move as quickly as you can.
Clean up your fire pit. Nothing is worse to me than backing into a site and seeing wrappers still in a fire pit. Clean up after yourself.
Watch that shower time. If you aren’t showering in your camper and the shower house is open this year, keep your time limited. Do the whole water on, water off, lather up (including washing your hair), then rinse and out of the shower.
Keep an eye on the kids at the playground. Kids are going to want to just be out with other kids this year but that doesn’t always mean they should be playing together. Keep smaller kids away from some of the big kids on the jungle gym.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY KEEP YOUR PETS ON A LEASH!
We hope you enjoy your RV adventures this year and make some great memories with your family and friends. Just keep some of these things in mind as you head out, you never know when you will make a new friend.
Happy Camping!